Maharashtra govt to adopt deceased woman labourer's daughters

Maharashtra Women and Child Welfare Ministry has decided to adopt the four daughters of a woman labourer from Beed district who died during an illegal abortion last month.

Vijaymala Pattewar allegedly wanted an abortion after learning that she was carrying another daughter. Her husband is currently in jail.

Women and Child Welfare Minister Varsha Gaikwad, who visited the girls at their paternal grandparents home in Parli last Saturday, today said they were not financially capable of looking after the four girls. "The elder three girls who are between 8 to 12 years old will be shifted to a shelter home in Majalgaon, about 10 to 15 km from Parli, while the youngest, who is one and half years old, will be provided Rs 450 per month under the 'Bal-sangopan' (child care) scheme. "The grandparents want the youngest girl to be shifted to the shelter home after a few years," Gaikwad said.

The ministry would bear the expenses towards accommodation and education of the girls. Gaikwad also said she had written to the Health Ministry to fill up vacant posts in the sub-district hospital at Parli. "There is no radiologist, no sonography machine in the hospital. It does not have a gynaecologist," she said. "I have also written to the Home Ministry to make illegal abortions and sex determination tests a non-bailable offence," she added.

Beed has recently been in the news for the high number of female foeticide cases being reported in the district.